Early Childhood Educator and NAEYC Code of ethics Essay

Early Childhood Educator and NAEYC Code of ethics - Essay Example Although everything written in the Code of Ethics is significant to the well-being of children, some stood out for me among the rest. Some are on the issues of children’s assessment. I 1.6 states: â€Å"To use assessment instruments and strategies that are appropriate for the children to be assessed, that are used only for the purposes for which they were designed, and that have the potential to benefit children†. I 1.7 states: â€Å"To use assessment information to understand and support children’s development and learning, to support instruction and to identify children who may need additional services† (Decker, Decker, Freeman, and Knorpf, 2009, p. 356). For several years in the past, assessment techniques were limited to written quizzes, exams, oral recitation, individual and group projects, etc. Assessment methods either fall under the more traditional approaches that expect students to regurgitate information previously fed to them or authentic asses sment that traverse a wider range of academic disciplines and skills as well as assessment approaches that attempt to evaluate the â€Å"whole child† in a wide span of application of his knowledge and abilities (Darling-Hammond et al, 1993). Although the basic assumption behind traditional and authentic assessment is common, which is to develop prolific citizens, the former approach tests the students on the possession of certain knowledge while the latter tests the students on the application of knowledge. Consistent with constructivist philosophy, authentic assessment entrusts the reins of learning to the students. They â€Å"are required to provide rigorous intellectual commitment and perseverance, and teachers must continually connect student’s previous and current knowledge to the emerging curriculum† (Wescombe-Down, n.d., n.p). Hence, assessment methods should include learner-centred activities